Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-02

The following are random extracts from the
forthcoming memorial OF Washington, a Local
History OF the Capital from 1790 to 1850" by J. F.
Riley.
DAVID BuRNEs AND HIS HOUSE BIT THE RIVER.
Thus the weary but wealthy stranger comes to
washington, and having taste for scandal de-
stres visit to the old houses OF the town, the
wall-chinks of which full OF hidden skeletons.
Oh, weary stranger! Old houses like old faces are
becoming Scarcer here. A decade % SO OF years
since, where now stand the palaces OF temporarily
resident millionaires there were solitude and
barren splendor with green Shiny bitches and i'm
passable hills as backgrounds for the picture.
Along fashions thoroughfare, Connecticut avenue,
upon which the foreign minister mods a diplo-
matte good-day to the Cabinet officer and beauti-
full women promenade, ogled by the blissful, be-
cause ignorant, but wealthy dude, the pensive COW
chewed her cud and the sporttve goat gamboled,
scarcely over twenty years ago. Then you could
have bought the ground for a nickel square foot;
now price 1t, and measure by the figures given the
progress Of Americas capital. Old Washington
has disappeared; the cobnle-stone street and the
noisome ditch have been succeeded by the asphalt
avenue and the spacious park, and the name
OF the Shepherd who wrought the change clings
to the avenue and park IL his bankrupted exile in
Mexico, even as the roses scent to the broken
vase.
Down here at the foot OF 18th street, where the
visitor never comes, because the Potomac Surg1ng
against the shore breeds malaria, there stands
One-story- and-attic frame cottage. So 1t stood
Burnss Scotch farmer One Of the e owners Of the
future capital. He proved SO very troublesome in
his barter OF lands with the General Government
izing him as 1.-THE obstinate Mr. Burnes," and here
on these very grounds the 'Father OF his Country"
was reminded by MI: Bprnes that the world would
never have known him but for his marriage with
the Widow Custis. Burnes was very old, very
rich, very malignant, and sour tempered when
ment Of the capital here in the year 1900, but he
had beautiful daughter, and she was his only
child: The magnet seeks the pole; Tom Moore
says the sun-hOWer constantly faces the sun. Was
it strange that the congressman during the first
sessions held in the city should seek the shelter OF
over wastes in muddy boots? Reflect! There were
no big hotels in those days. Congress lived In
lodgings, two and three In room, and Schenck
and poker were unknown. What relaxation was
there for the Congressional mind? What recrea-
ton SO pleasant as visiting the BurneS' cottage?
What greater attraction than the welcome Of q
wealthy heiresS in expectancy?
attacked them? Wen, men are the same the
world over, now as then, no BETTER no worse. Sure
it is, they did spend their evenings in the Burnes
cottage and make love to the heiress on the river
banks by moonlight MAJ Many came, but one was
Der from New York, and the Two were married.
John was OF the old Dutch Van Ness family from
K1nderhOOk and believed In the old English law,
saying that the husband and wife are both one.
He must have believed, too, that the husband is
that one for, few years after his marriage, his
wife conveyed to him, through q trustee, every
foot OF ground she inherited on her fathers death
With portion Of this wealth John built this man
sion beside the cottage. In its decay it Is st1ll
magnificent. Just Jike the picture OF feudal
castle, without the drawbr1dge. Prtncely enter
tainments were held here so years ago, attended
by the grandees OF this and other lands. These
grounds, gone TO seed now, were nower-beds then,
g1rted With Ztg-zag walks, over which the coaches
with four in hand, Of the CalvertS and the Fair
faxes, the LOundeS and the Platers rolled. Prince
John was the host; the world were his guests
His own course was upward. From an alderman
he graduated into the mayoralty OF the city; he
accepted the generalship OF the District militia,
rendered by Jefferson, and was expelled from Con.
greSS therefor, and In a caustic speech on the
whats banished, but set free" order, converted
the action OF that body into glory for himself.
From bank director he became a bank president
The world was kind to him and he enjoyed the
world to its limit. Death knocked at his palace
door, bearing away his wife and only child, and
he wore Grape around his hat, and built $50, 600
maus0leum over their remains as expressive OF his
grief.
RUNAWAY NUN FROM GEORGETOWN.